PM vows to repair trust and economy
In a desperate attempt to keep his job and fix the political and economic crisis that has crippled Sri Lanka, its embattled President swore in a new prime minister to replace his brother, who has been banned from leaving the country.
The new PM, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has already served in the office five times – but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to push any legislation through parliament.
The 73-year-old will be tasked with navigating Sri Lanka through the worst downturn in its history as an independent nation, with months of shortages and blackouts inflaming anger.
“We want to return the nation to a position where our people will once again have three meals a day,” Mr Wickremesinghe said. “Our youth must have a future.”
In a bid to stop calls for him to quit, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 72, had pledged to give up most of his executive powers and pave the way for a new cabinet.
Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President’s brother, resigned as prime minister on Monday after his supporters attacked anti-government demonstrators who had been protesting peacefully for weeks.
This marked a turning point and unleashed several days of chaos and violence in which at least nine people
were killed and more than 200 injured, with dozens of Rajapaksa loyalist homes set on fire.
A court has banned Mahinda, his politician son Namal and more than a dozen allies from leaving the country after ordering an investigation into the violence.
It is a dramatic fall from grace for the Rajapaksa brothers, who had been hailed as heroes by the majority Sinhalese population after ending the bitter civil war with the Tamil minority.
“Congratulations to the newly appointed Prime Minister,” Mahinda tweeted from the Trincomalee naval base on the country’s east coast, where he took refuge after
fleeing the capital Colombo. “I wish you all the best as you navigate these troubled times,” he added.
Security forces patrolling in armoured personnel carriers with orders to shoot looters on sight have largely restored order.
Curfews to stop the protests have been lifted temporarily during the day to allow Sri Lanka’s 22 million people to stock up on essentials.
Sri Lankans have suffered months of severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine, as well as long power cuts, after the country burnt through foreign currency reserves needed to pay for imports.
The central bank chief warned the economy would
“collapse beyond redemption” unless a new government was urgently appointed.
Mr Wickremesinghe is seen as a pro-West free-market reformist, potentially making bailout negotiations with the International Monetary Fund others smoother.
With many from the Rajapaksas’ party having defected in recent months, no group in the 225-member assembly has an absolute majority, making parliamentary approval of legislation potentially tricky.
Mr Wickremesinghe insisted he had enough support to govern, but it remains to be seen whether a new cabinet will be enough to calm public anger.